Animal-trap.



J. W. SHARP.

ANIMAL TRAP.`

APPLlcATwN FILED SEPT. n. Isle.

' 1 207 087 Pmted DCC. 5,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1. W. SHARP.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. II, ma.

1 207 O87. PIIIQIIIIIII Dec. 5,1916. 7 9 L 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(NVM

Hoa/MMP UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE.

JOHN W. SHARP, F SWIFTON, ARKANSAS.

.ANIMAL-TRAP.

' Application filed september 11, 1916.

To all wlw/m t #my conce/rn Be it known that I, JOHN lV. Srnxnr, acitizen of the United States, residing at Swifton, in the county ofJackson and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in rhiiinal-Traps; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention aims to provide a simple and inexpensive trap to be setacross the paths of numerous kinds of fur bearing animals so as to trapany animal passing along such paths.

A further object is to provide auxiliary releases for the trap so as tospring the same prematurely in case a person, horse, cow or the like ispassing along the path, thus insuring that they be not injured by thedevice.

`With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention resides incertain novel features of construction and in unique combinations ofparts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptivematter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which constitutea part of this application and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the trap in use; Fig. 2 is a verticalsection of the trap in its set position; and, Fig. 3 is a similar viewafter the t ap has been sprung.

Throughout the drawings the numeral 1 designates a horizontalrectangular guide rod having at one of its ends a fixed verticallydisposed jaw 2 which will be preferably toothed or pronged as shown, thelower end of said jaw having a stake 3 to be forced into the earth. Theother end of the rod 1 projects into a tubular casing 4 and by means ofa set screw 5 is secured in one reduced end 6 of said casing.

A slide 7 is mounted on the rod 1 and carries a jaw 8 similar to the jaw2, a coiled spring 9 beingmounted in the easing 4 for projecting theslide 7 to move the jaw 8 toward the jaw 2i.

A catch lever 10 is fulerumed between its ends adjacent the reduced end6 of the easing 4 and is provided at one end with a nose 10 forengagement with a hook 11 on one end of a link 12, this link beingpivoted to the jaw 8. The other end of the lever 10 projects into thereduced end of the easing through a slot 13 and is normally held againstupward movement by the laterally Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Serial No. 119,486.

directed lower end 14 of a trigger in the form of a lever 15, the upperend of said lever being connected to one end of a trip wire or cord 16anchored at its other end to the fixed jaw 2.

In use, the trap will be so disposed as to .locate its jaws 2 and S onopposite sides of the path of the animal which is to be caught and willbe held in this position by the stake 3 and an additional stake 17connected to the casing 4 by means of a chain 18. The jaw S is now heldin retracted position by passing' the hook 11 over the nose 10 and by sopositioning the trigger as to dispose its lower end 14 above the lever10. lVith the parts in this position, the wire or the like 1G will bestretched across the animals path and thus when he comes in contacttherewith, the trigger 15 will be released so that the spring 9immediately projects the jaw 8 toward the jaw 2, thus entrapping theanimal.

Since it is often necessary to use the traps across paths frequented bystock, such as horses and cows and often traveled by persons, it ishighly expedient to provide some means to prevent them from being caughtin the device and to this end I provide a pair of auxiliary trip wires1G which are connected to the trigger 15 and lead obliquely therefromacross the path at a suitable distance from the trap. The wires 16 arespaced an appropriate distance above the earth so as to allow thecomparatively small animals to pass thereunder but any object as tall asa person, horse or cow will release the trap prematurely by contact withone or the other of the wires 16.

From the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,it will be obvious that although I have provided a comparatively simpleand inexpensive trap, the same will be highly efficient and du lable.For these reasons, the construction shown and described constitutes thepreferred form of the device. It is to be understood, however, thatwithin the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous changes may bemade without sacrificing the principle advantages.

is received and secured, means for anchoring said casing on the ground,a slide mounted on said rod and carrying another jaw, a

spring surrounding the rod and Confined normally in the easing forforcing said slide toward the fixed jaw, means for holding the slideretracted against the tension of the spring, said means including atrigger7 and o trip member extending from said trigger to the iixed jaw.

L). A trap comprising a horizontal guide rod having at one end a lixedjaw, a tubular easing in which the other end or' said rod is receivedand secured, al, slide mounted on smid rod and carrying another jaw, aspring in the easing for forcing said slide toward the fixed jaw, a.Catch lever fulerumed on the end of the easing remote from the jaws,seid lever having n nose, a. link pivotally conneeted With the secondnamed jew and having a hook to engage said nose, a trigger ulerumed tosaid end o" the easing and having n portion to normally hold the catchlever in set position, and a trip member leading from said trigger tothe lixed jaw.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

his JOHN XV. SHARP.

mark

litnesses ROY VmGrrr, MAURICE JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

